Robotic process automation with secure recording

1. A process automation system comprising: data storage for storing a plurality of bots, each bot comprising one or more configurable commands arranged to perform assigned tasks; and a processor operatively coupled to the data storage and configured to execute instructions that when executed cause the processor to provide to a user a plurality of recorders to permit the user to create one or more bots for storage in the data storage, the instructions implementing: a plurality of recorders comprising, a smart recorder to permit capture of user interface controls and objects generated by one or more applications, wherein the applications are characterized by one or more application frameworks; a web recorder to permit capture of pattern-based tasks for web-based applications by automatically, in response to user inputs, extracting web data spread across multiple pages generated by a web-based application; a screen recorder to permit capture of tasks entered by a user by way of user input operations to one or more screens generated by an application; and a secure recording mode, selectable by an administrator of the process automation system, for preventing capture by a selected one or more of the plurality of recorders of an entire screen of information generated by an application-to-be-automated while the user is operating the selected one or more of the plurality of recorder; wherein the robotic process automation system permits the administrator to permit display to the user of selected fields of information, along with associated labels generated by the application-to-be-automated, for capture by the selected one or the recorders.

2. The process automation system of claim 1 wherein the system permits the administrator to permit partial display to the user of selected fields of information, along with associated labels generated by the application-to-be-automated for capture by the selected one or the recorders.

3. The process automation system of claim 1 wherein the system permits the administrator to permit display to a first user of a first set of selected fields of information, along with associated labels generated by the application-to-be-automated for capture by a recorder used by the first user, and to permit display to a second user of a second set of selected fields of information, along with associated labels generated by the application-to-be-automated for capture by a recorder used by the second user, wherein the first set of selected fields and the second set of selected fields, differ by a least one field.

4. The process automation system of claim 1 wherein the secure recording mode is further operable to permit the administrator to configure the secure recording mode to cause to be stored fields that are identified by the administrator to be excluded from use recording during the secure recording mode.

5. The process automation system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured with instructions that when executed cause the processor to implement a remote access module that establishes a communication link between the processor and a remotely located system, the communication link permitting apps, files, and network resources to be made available to the processor from the remotely located system across a compliance boundary and wherein the application-to-be-automated is accessed by way of the remote access module across the compliance boundary.

6. A method for securing information in a robotic process automation system comprising: providing a first operation mode by permitting full screen images created by an application program, wherein each full screen image of the full screen images comprises one or more data fields, with each field having a label associated therewith, wherein the full screen images are viewable by a user of the robotic process automation system; and providing a secure recording mode, responsive to an operator accessible setting, that prevents presentation of the full screen images, and that permits presentation of one or more selected data fields and associated labels within one or more of the full screen images, for capture during the secure recording mode.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the operator accessible setting comprises a second setting that causes partial presentation of data fields that are not selected by the administrator, for capture during the secure recording mode.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the operator accessible setting comprises a third setting that permits presentation of a first set of one or more selected data fields and associated labels within one or more of the full screen images to a first user for capture by a recorder used by the first user and that permits presentation of a second set of one or more selected data fields and associated labels within one or more of the full screen images to a second user, for capture by a recorder used by the second user, wherein the first set of selected data fields and the second set of selected data fields, differ by a least one field.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising establishing a communication link between the robotic automation system and a remotely located system, the communication link permitting apps, files, and network resources to be made available to the robotic automation system from the remotely located system across a compliance boundary and wherein the application program is accessed by way of the remote access module across the compliance boundary.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising generating an execution file employing output of the secure recording mode by processing operations by processing operations performed on the application program comprising reading a task file, scanning for event dependencies and embedding files and links needed for remote execution of the execution file, storing the dependencies in a dependency file, scanning for security, such as insuring compliance boundary parameters are present and functional, and verifying the task file for proper formatting.

11. A tangible storage medium, having stored thereupon one or more program modules comprising computer-executable instructions for execution on a computer system, the computer-executable instructions executing on a server processor to cause the computer system to implement a robotic process automation system comprising: a first recorder to enable recordation by a user of the robotic process automation system of a sequence of interactions with an application that operates independently of the robotic process automation system and that generates one or more screens of information, with certain of the screens including one or more fields to permit input of information to the application, the first recorder operating to cause capture and storage of an image of each screen of information generated by the application that contains a field for input of information, the first recorder further operating to cause capture of an image of each field and associated label contained on each screen of information captured by the first recorder; and a secure recorder, selectable by an administrator, that prevents the first recorder from capturing an image of an entire screen of information generated by the application, and that permits capture of an image of any field, and associated label, permitted by the administrator to be captured by the user.

12. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions that cause the secure recorder to partially display of information in any field other than fields permitted by the administrator to be captured by the user.

13. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions that cause the secure recorder to be selectable by the administrator to operate in a multi-user mode wherein the administrator permits a first set of fields to be captured by a first user and wherein the administrator permits a second set of fields, that partially overlaps with the first set of fields, or that does not overlap with the first set of fields, to be captured by a second user.

14. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 wherein the first recorder comprises a smart recorder to permit capture of user interface controls and objects generated by one or more applications, wherein the applications are characterized by one or more application frameworks.

15. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 wherein the first recorder comprises a web recorder to permit capture of pattern-based tasks for web-based applications by automatically, in response to user inputs, extracting web data spread across multiple pages generated by a web-based application.

16. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 wherein the first recorder comprises a screen recorder to permit capture of tasks entered by a user by way of user input operations to one or more screens generated by an application.

17. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions that implement a remote access module that establishes a communication link between the server processor and a remotely located system, the communication link permitting apps, files, and network resources to be made available to the server processor from the remotely located system across a compliance boundary and wherein the application is accessed by way of the remote access module across the compliance boundary.

18. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions that cause the first recorder to generate an execution file by processing operations performed on the application comprising reading a task file, scanning for event dependencies and embedding files and links needed for remote execution of the execution file, storing the dependencies in a dependency file, scanning for security, such as insuring compliance boundary parameters are present and functional, and verifying the task file for proper formatting.

19. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions permit the administrator to configure the secure recorder to cause to be stored, fields that are identified by the administrator to be excluded from use by the secure recorder.

20. The tangible storage medium of claim 11 comprising further computer-executable instructions that permit the administrator to permit a certain portion of a field to be displayed and a certain portion of the field to be obscured.